emiller1018's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
andrearbooks's review
4.0
I Was Told It Would Get Easier by Abbi Waxman was a book that pleasantly surprised me. The story focuses on a mother and daughter who are on a college tour. Jessica, the mother, is hoping this trip is a chance to bond with her daughter. Emily, the daughter, is unsure about what she wants to do after high school, but hasn't yet fully had that conversation with her mother. The story is narrated in alternating chapters by Jessica and Emily, and y'all, again I'll say how much I love dual narrators. This was especially well done as the alternating narration built depth in the characters. It showed how each of the women was navigating the trip, how they felt about the other woman, and how that had changed and/or was changing. I also really liked how the dialogue flowed so well and had some wit throughout. I was drawn into the relationship and how they navigated things. It was complex at times, but also lighthearted. Again, sometimes you need those light reads, and this was definitely that with the added depth of relationship. Thanks to Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Random House, for the early look at this June 2020 read. If you're looking for a nice, chill summer read, this is going to be your jam.
attemptinggrace's review
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
4.5
Laughed my way through this one!
renel's review against another edition
5.0
It was very enjoyable and I have nothing to complain about so 5/5
tullock23's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
candyshadow's review
Just not in the mood to finish it rn. It's a great book, for light reading. But to me, right now, it feels really safe? If course, that is part of the appeal of it. If it were like half the length I might have been able to finish it.
a_little_shelf_absorbed's review
4.0
I laughed a lot and texted my mother several times while reading this. It was a light and endearingly stated story about the rekindling of a mother and daughter's relationship a couple of years before college is supposed to begin. I enjoyed the telling of this common story arc because the voices felt distinct and genuine. It's impossible to be completely void of cliches, and the book plays on that quite a bit, but Waxman did really well illustrating the connection between the two characters without making it boring or exaggerated.
life_full_ofbooks's review
4.0
I have no clue how Abbi Waxman somehow create’s characters with whom I always relate, but she does.
Jessica and Emily Burnstein are mother and daughter. Jessica is in her early forties and a partner at her law firm. Emily is 16 and a Junior in high school. They seem to fight more than talk and both feel a disconnect from the other, though they don’t realize it. They embark on a Spring Break college tour and discover more about themselves and each other than they ever expected.
Ms. Waxman has a way of writing character driven novels with humor and depth. Her characters are so well formed, they just jump out of the book.
This is told from both perspectives in alternating chapters and the fourth wall is broken quite a bit leaving me feeling like I was either reading a journal they kept or just listening to them tell me about the tour. It’s a unique way of writing and one I absolutely love.
I so related to Jessica in the sense that I am in my early to mid forties and I have a teenage girl (3, actually). The relationship between mothers and their teen daughters is a mix of both tumultuous and loving and Ms. Waxman captured it beautifully.
I loved seeing the entire trip from both viewpoints because even though Jessica and Emily were together, they both saw the trip through a different set of eyes.
This book captured the lives of mothers and daughters so honestly and I so greatly appreciate that.
Jessica and Emily Burnstein are mother and daughter. Jessica is in her early forties and a partner at her law firm. Emily is 16 and a Junior in high school. They seem to fight more than talk and both feel a disconnect from the other, though they don’t realize it. They embark on a Spring Break college tour and discover more about themselves and each other than they ever expected.
Ms. Waxman has a way of writing character driven novels with humor and depth. Her characters are so well formed, they just jump out of the book.
This is told from both perspectives in alternating chapters and the fourth wall is broken quite a bit leaving me feeling like I was either reading a journal they kept or just listening to them tell me about the tour. It’s a unique way of writing and one I absolutely love.
I so related to Jessica in the sense that I am in my early to mid forties and I have a teenage girl (3, actually). The relationship between mothers and their teen daughters is a mix of both tumultuous and loving and Ms. Waxman captured it beautifully.
I loved seeing the entire trip from both viewpoints because even though Jessica and Emily were together, they both saw the trip through a different set of eyes.
This book captured the lives of mothers and daughters so honestly and I so greatly appreciate that.